Tabby's Student Founder Welcome!

Hi! I’m Tabby - the student founder of Afghan Scouts Durham. As we introduce you to our organization, I thought I would take a minute to introduce myself. I’ll be one of the main curators of the stories that you read here. 

Life in Afghanistan 

I was born and raised in the city of Taloqan, in Takhar province, Afghanistan. My father left us when I was young, so I was raised by my mom and grandmother. I have one older sister and another sister that died as a child. I was a top student in school. I valued education so much that I even attended two schools at the same time when I was in middle school. I was a member of the Afghan National Girls Choir, where I sang and recited poetry at national events and for foreign dignitaries. I was also a PARSA Scout for many years, earning the rank similar to patrol leader and serving as a regional scout representative. Singing and serving with scouts made me a bit of a public figure, but I was happy for the opportunities to serve my community. 

Tabby as an Afghan Scout assisting with a social media campaign on the International Day of Peace (2020)

Tabby performing a solo as part of an Afghan National Choir performance. (Tabby's sister stands beside her in green.)

Life under the Taliban

I still remember the day that the Taliban took control of our province in 2021. My whole family immediately knew we were at risk. Conservative men had criticized my mother for allowing me to participate in the National Choir, calling my singing haram (sinful, forbidden). We knew we might be targeted. My sister and I were forced to burn all our scout uniforms and all our connections to the choir. My mom had to burn papers that connected her to the old government and to the Americans. Eventually, the Taliban did search our house, but they couldn’t find a reason to arrest us. We remained in hiding for weeks. 

Life almost seemed to return to normal for a while. My sister and I tried to attend a private school for girls, but my sister was stopped, harassed, and threatened. A few weeks later, we learned that a neighbor had given the Taliban new information about us and we were warned they planned to arrest us. We had to flee in the middle of the night. Eventually we made our way to Pakistan. 

Waiting in Pakistan to come to the USA

Life in Pakistan was hard. At first, my family was together. We thought we would all be able to go to the USA together. The limbo in Pakistan lasted longer than we thought. We ran out of money (since we couldn’t work) and we were forced to go back to Takhar. My mom found a job, but the risk for my sister and I remained very high. We were forced to hide at home the whole time; we also had to move around. My sister and I went back to Pakistan as soon as we were able. This time we lived in the home of a scout leader in Pakistan with six other girls who had been involved with scouting. Each of us worked on learning English and applying for American schools. 

I spent almost 2 years in Pakistan studying and applying. A lot of bad things happened while we were there. A Pakistani government official tried to kidnap me twice. We were all confined to the house for long periods to avoid any local attention. Eventually, I found a placement with a host family in Chapel Hill NC - but my sister wouldn’t be coming with me. It would be almost 2 years before I would see her again in person. 

Living in the USA

Have you ever experienced something that is both wonderful and heartbreaking? Coming to the USA was a dream come true, but leaving my mom and sister behind was… so hard. By coming, I knew I could never go back. A US visa stamp in my passport guarantees an Afghan girl a fate worse than death in Kabul. But I knew I had to forge a new path. I came to pursue the basic human right of education. I had to focus on the future, unknown good that would come from that.

People who know me now would barely believe it, but - 3 years ago - I spoke virtually no English. And I hadn’t been in school for two years (thanks to the Taliban’s ban on educating women). My first semester back - and in a new language - was a huge challenge. But I’m pleased to report that I’m holding down a 4.0 GPA! I'm also actively involved in Scouting America, my school's volleyball team, and the robotics team (before anyone heard of Rule Breakers!)

Top left to bottom right: Tabby & Fifi attend Scout Council event with UNC'S Roy Williams. Tabby pictured in her re-created Afghan Scout uniform at Emerson Waldorf in Chapel Hill. Tabby and Fifi attend a NC State basketball game compliments of Parexel International. Tabby learns to ski on a Troop 39 ski trip.

My Future 

My future and the future of the other girls of Afghan Scouting is the whole point of this charity, its blog, and all our other efforts. The short version: It’s a hard road. We’re here on student visas and so very grateful for the opportunity to be here, but each of us must find a way to fully fund our education in order to continue to stay in the USA. My goal is to become a neurosurgeon. If I can become a permanent resident, I’d like my path to medical school to run through the US Air Force. The idea of serving this wonderful county, learning valuable medical skills, and making money for college seems like the perfect opportunity to help me secure my future. 

Every scout assisted by Afghan Scouts Durham has a story similar to mine. Some have been through much worse. But all of us rely on the generosity of strangers to continue this journey. I hope hearing my story has given you a little glimpse into my life. As you continue to follow our stories, we’d all be very grateful if you’d consider supporting us with a donation.